


One Thing's For Certain

by explodingnebulae



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Altissia, Before Battle, Late Night Conversations, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-27 23:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10818753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/explodingnebulae/pseuds/explodingnebulae
Summary: It's the night before the end of everything.





	One Thing's For Certain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> [shrug emoji] i tried

“Tell me something, Noct,” Ignis implored delicately, his mouth hovering by the prince’s ear. It was nearing midnight and the two had wanted nothing more than to be alone. Their companions offered it to them without a word beyond goodnight and allowed the them the intimacy the Altissian night had to offer. 

“Hmm?” returned the prince as he shifted in the gondola’s seat. This is the first time they had sat together and the chamberlain savored the closeness, a sense of great foreboding in nestled tight within his chest. Thus far, events had done everything except play out how they were supposed to. Whatever happened tomorrow might very well be the end on too short of a chapter. 

“If tomorrow were to never come, what would you wish for?” 

He knew not the weight his inquiry carried until they left his mouth. Usually a pinnacle of forethought and overthinking, the chamberlain silently cursed himself for having done such a thing. 

“Jeez, Specs, what type of date are you? I thought these things were supposed to be relaxing. Calm before the storm and all that nonsense,” he chuckled then pressed himself into Ignis, who easily received him by wrapping an arm around his form and held him close. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I know that tomorrow is never guaranteed, but I guess I’m selfish, so I’d say one more chance to wake up. One more late morning, one more quick breakfast, one more gas station, one more time with numb legs from a chocobo, one more fight, one more day with you.”

Ignis gave the body in his arms a tender squeeze and pressed his lips to the side of Noct’s head. The shaken sigh that slipped through the prince’s mouth raised the chamberlain’s interest and he pulled back to examine his charge’s visage. The smile he had worn gleefully had diminished into a doleful grin, homesick nostalgia playing at his features.

It was a look Ignis knew well.

The gondola came to a halt and the driver gave a clearing of his throat. The silence between them clearly having made the driver uncomfortable. They stepped out, Ignis handing the driver an extra tip for his services, and the chamberlain rested his hands on Noct’s shoulders. The couple made eye contact and that was all that was needed for the prince to fall apart. 

Ignis received Noct into his arms, gathered his prince in a secure hold, and whispered tender words of placation to try and soothe whatever daemon he had stirred within the prince. Fear had been surging through each of them, but even Ignis knew not the level at which it affected Noct. To bring such a heavy-weighted question down upon the young prince was foolish, careless even, and he could not bear the thought of Noct not seeing tomorrow.

“Forgive me, dearest,” whispered the chamberlain as younger man’s body quivered against him. Noct remained silent as he shook, tears never once falling from his eyes. 

Noct remained for a moment longer before pulling from Ignis’ hold. Another sorrowful smile stretched across his features, his sapphire eyes dull in the sparkling Altissian lights. 

“But I guess that’s what this is, huh? One more night with you…just in case this all goes south,” he began slowly as they took to walking the cobblestone sidewalks at his demand, fingers entwined. “Thanks. For everything. I know I haven’t been the easiest person to care for, but…”

Noct’s voice drifted into silence and the two held the quiet between them as though it were sacred, as though it continued the conversation at length. 

_You may not be the easiest person to care for…but you are the easiest man to love._

The couple stole away into an alcove and Ignis pulled on Noct’s hand as they came to a halt, the extra coverage provided by the overpass served as the perfect protection from prying eyes. He moved a step closer to the prince, who was slightly confused by the sudden stop, but quickly caught on once the chamberlain’s fingers were under his chin. Somewhere in the distance a clock-tower rang out. It was midnight.

Tomorrow was today.

“I suppose if today ends poorly, I only have one last chance to say it,” Ignis whispered with a sigh, his voice too delicate and exposed. He felt unnatural, as though the present version of him was unfamiliar. The chamberlain kept certain phrases to himself; regardless of how long he’d been with Noct, there were some things he would not dare utter. 

“I will carry you in my heart, _always_.”


End file.
